


Ships in the Night

by sarahannie91



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Ed Tucker - Freeform, F/M, Olivia Benson - Freeform, SVU - Freeform, Tuckson - Freeform, law and order svu, ships in the night
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 17:34:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9282620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahannie91/pseuds/sarahannie91
Summary: Slightly AU: Due to events in the past, Ed and Olivia strive to be like ships in the night, just passing each other by. However one night at the NYPD Christmas banquet, their lives will once again collide and they will have to face the past that haunts them both. TUCKSON





	1. Chapter 1

Walking into the ballroom of the plaza hotel, Olivia Benson took a deep breath as she surveyed her surroundings. The room was beautifully decorated for the upcoming holiday and the higher ranking of New York's finest were milling around.

Normally, she would not mind socializing and networking with her peers but she suddenly felt a looming sense of anxiety wash over her. She ran her hand down the smooth material of her form-fitting black dress self consciously before the feeling of a soft hand on her back snapped her out of her thoughts. Michael Dodds, her newly appointed second in command and companion for the evening, was at her side.

"Our coats are checked and it looks like we're at table twenty-three." He explained, dexterously flipping the place card through his fingers. "Shall we?"

She did her best to give him a convincing smile. "I'll meet you over there. Just going to stop at the bar quickly."

Dodds gave her a bright smile and a nod before they went their separate ways. Reaching the bar, Olivia tapped her fingers patiently against the polished wood as she waited for the bartender to serve her.

Suddenly, the air in the room changed and she felt the hairs stand at the base of her neck. Sensing a looming presence, she did her best to take a calming breath. "Lieutenant", a raspy voice greeted.

Turning to her right, she saw Ed Tucker standing there, twirling a tumbler of bourbon in his hand. "Captain", she replied, trying to force her eyes to stay on his face and not roam the length of his body. He was wearing a navy blue, three piece suit, a gorgeous contradiction to his usual black work suit.

"What can I get for you, ma'am?" The bartender asked, laying a small napkin down in front of her.

She opened her mouth to answer but was cut off. "She'll have a bourbon, neat."

Unlike Olivia, Tucker did not try to hide his wandering eyes. "Command suits you, Olivia. You look amazing."

Turning her body to face him, she challenged him with a smirk. "You always did have a thing for little black dresses, didn't you?"

* * *

_Seven Years Ago..._

_He spotted her from across the crowded bar. She was wearing a slim fitting black dress with her hair done in a loose twist, a little too over dressed for this type of establishment but stunning nonetheless._

_Navigating his way through the crowd of people, Ed honed in on her like a heat-seeking missile. She checked her watch and looked around the room as he reached her. "Hot date, Detective?" He asked, his eyes scanning over her body._

_Scoffing, Olivia rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here, Tucker? Shouldn't you be at some sleazy cop bar?"_

_Adjusting the rolled up sleeves of his dress shirt, he leaned against the bar. "Yeah, well, it's hard to make friends at the NYPD when you work for IAB so here I find myself."_

_"At least you're self aware." She bit back causing him to let out a hearty laugh. That caught her by surprise and she found herself smirking at the sight of him in such rare form._

_When he caught her smirking at him, she checked her watch for what seemed like the hundredth time. His face turned almost sympathetic as the wheels turned in his head. "What time was he supposed to be here?" He asked, his eyebrows knitting together in empathy._

_Sighing in defeat, she glanced at her watch again. "Forty-five minutes ago", she answered, worrying her hands together._

_Noticing her fidgeting hands, he reached out to still them, a reassuring smile gracing his lips. "Well, he does not know what he's missing." He said, his eyes wandering down her body before finding it's way back to her face, a warm smile on his lips. "Every girl should own a little black dress, every boy should see his girl in one." He quoted._

_Her eyebrows raised in awe. "Didn't peg you to be well-read, Tucker."_

_"I'm full of surprises, Detective." He mused, a full smile spreading across his face showing off his bright white teeth. "Let me buy you a drink."_

_She thought for what seemed like several minutes, his twinkling blue eyes not helping her think clearly in the least. "Okay", she agreed quietly against her better judgement._

_Raising his forefinger to gain the bartender's attention, he noticed her checking her watch again out of the corner of her eye. "She'll have a bourbon, neat. Put it on my tab." The bartender nodded and turned to pour the drink._

_Olivia's eyes shot to Ed's face when his hand lightly grabbed her wrist. With one nimble hand, he unlatched her watch and slipped it off her wrist. She watched with astonishment as he tapped the face of the watch gently before slipping it into her clutch that was sitting on the bar. "You've wasted enough time on him tonight. Don't give him the satisfaction."_

_In that moment, something between them shifted. She had never seen Ed Tucker so human and if it wasn't so unnerving she would find it attractive. The bartender placed the glass in front of her and she smiled in gratitude._

_Holding his glass out to her, he smiled as she clinked her glass against his and watched as she sipped the dark liquid for the first time. Her face contorted minutely as the burning alcohol slid down her thought. "Bourbon, it's rough at first but it grows on you. We have that in common." He smirked as his glass reached his lips._

_Later that night..._

_"I have looked down the barrel of a gun, I've been slashed with a knife but I've never been more terrified than when that woman was crowning in the back of my squad car." Ed chuckled as he downed the rest of the brown liquor._

_Throwing her head back, Olivia let out a laugh as one of her fingers swirled around the rim of her almost empty glass. "C'mon, Tucker, it's the miracle of life!"  
_

_"Yeah, well that miracle left a permanent stain on the interior of the cruiser." He retorted causing her face to twist with disgust. "See!" He snickered, pointing at her expression._

_Leaning back against his stool, Ed let his laughter subside as he watched the woman next to him. She looked back at him, smiling shyly as she caught him staring at her. He stretched his arm across the back of her stool, gently rubbing the skin of her upper arm with his thumb._

_A clock across the bar caught her attention. "Is that really the time?" She asked, squinting to get a better look._

_Checking his own watch, Ed sucked his teeth in disappointment. "Yeah, quarter passed midnight."_

_Pushing a stray hair back from her face, she huffed. "I better get going." She sighed, looking back at him._

_"I'll walk you out to your car." He offered, standing up from his stool. Grabbing her coat off a nearby coat rack, he held it open for her as she slipped her arms in. He slipped on his own jacket while she gathered her things before he pressed a strong hand to her lower back, leading her towards the door._

_As they reached her black mustang, she turned around and leaned back against her car door, her hands shoved in the pockets of her coat to ward off the cold. Her eyes reluctantly met his face, the tension hanging thick between them. He brought his hands up to the lapels of her pea coat, pulling them closer around her to ensure her warmth._

_She could not help the small smile that spread across her lips as she watched him. His eyes travelled from his hands up to her eyes which widened as his face inched towards hers. His pink tongue peaked out to wet his lips as his eyes darted between her eyes and her plump lips._

_Before she could even process what was happening, his mouth were on hers. Shock paralyzed her where she stood as his soft lips pressed against hers. Pulling back so mere inches separated them, his eyes opened slowly to search her face. "Ed", she breathed, her warm breath puffing against his close face. "We've been drinking..."_

_"I didn't drink that much", he cut her off, his voice softer than she's ever heard it. His hand came up to push a piece of stray hair back before his lips were on hers again. This time it took milliseconds for her to respond, her lips surrendering under his. Her hands found their way from her pockets to grip the lower muscles of his back as he sucked her lower lip between his._

_One of his hands tangled in her hair while her mouth opened under his, allowing his tongue to connect with hers. He reached out to brace his other hand against the roof of her car as he pressed his body against hers. She hissed into his mouth, the delicious contradiction of the cool metal and his warm body causing an unfamiliar sensation to rise within her._

_Releasing her lips, he pressed his forehead against as his heavy breath panted against her flushed face. Her hands gripped the lapels of his jacket in an attempt to hold him close while she caught her breath._

_Reaching his hand behind her, Ed opened the driver side door and braced his strong arm against it as he pecked her cold nose. "Get home safely, Detective." he rasped, before placing another lingering kiss to her lips._

_Nodding her head against his, she gave him a small smile before slipping into the driver's seat. She started her car and looked over at Ed through the frosted car window, the twinkle not leaving her eye until she was long gone._

* * *

Hanging his head, he couldn't help the shy smile that spread across his face. "You're right, they're my weakness. If I didn't know any better, I would think that you wore it on purpose."

"Don't flatter yourself, Tucker." She laughed, sipping her drink.

Adjusting his cufflinks, his eyes scanned the room. "I saw you walk in, is that your new boy prodigy?" he asked, nodding towards where Dodds was sitting.

"That is my new Sergeant." She explained, straightening her posture in an attempt to seem more professional. "He's new to SVU, actually NYPD for that matter."

He nodded, trying his best to hide his jealousy. "Fresh meat", he acknowledged, squinting his eyes as he looked passed her in an attempt to avoid her gaze.

"Ed...", she warned, looking down at her drink before looking back up at him. He gave her a small smile in apology. "I should be getting back..." She explained, nodding towards her table.

Nodding in understanding, he picked up his drink. "I'll walk you." He offered.

Tilting her head, she gave him a pointed look. "You really don't have to..."

"March, Lieutenant", he commanded with a teasing glint in his eyes, motioning her to walk ahead of him. She rolled her eyes and begrudgingly followed his order.

When they reached the table, Olivia sat down in the chair next to Dodds. Seeing the man accompanying her, he stood and offered his hand. "Michael Dodds." He greeted.

Looking from his hand up to the man's face, Ed reluctantly accepted the handshake. "Ed Tucker, IAB." He replied, shaking his hand firmly. When his hand was released, he sat back down next to Olivia and stretched his arm across the back of her chair. Ed had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep the rising jealousy at bay before he noticed that everyone around them started to take their seats. "I should be getting to my table." He stated, his somber eyes meeting hers briefly. "Take care of her, Dodds. She's one of the good ones."

Looking at Olivia, Ed gave her a melancholy nod and she gave him a heavyhearted smile in return. Dodds, completely missing the exchange between the two, nodded as he watched him walk away. "Old friend?" He asked, looking over at her.

Reaching for her drink, she brought the glass to her lips. "That's my ex-husband."


	2. Chapter 2

Placing her utensils down next to her plate, Olivia placed her hands in her lap to fidget with the napkin that rested there. Dodds sensed her uneasiness and placed his arm on the back of her chair. "I'm going to head to the bar, can I get you anything?"

Giving him a forced smile, she shook her head. With a nod, Dodds stood and buttoned his suit jacket before heading across the ballroom to the bar. As soon as he was out of ear shot, Olivia let her eyes fall closed as she exhaled a long breath. She was finding it exhausting to feign peace of mind through out this entire evening.

When she opened her eyes, Ed was standing in front her table with his hands in the pockets of his suit pants. "Where's the golden boy?" He asked, nodding towards the empty seat next to her.

" _Sergeant Dodds_ is at the bar." She answered, dodging his sarcastic comments with ease as her stern eyes met his.

He couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corner of his lips. "Lucky for him, they're not carding." Tilting her head to the side, she gave him a pointed look. That look was all too familiar to him and he held his hands up in surrender, a playful smile on his face. He walked closer and extended his hand. "Dance with me."

Olivia eyed his masculine hand before looking to his face, his blue eyes beckoning her just like they always had. "Ed...", she whispered hesitantly, her eyes softening as she sensed the defeat creeping into his demeanor.

"One dance, Liv", he pleaded softly. "And I'll leave you alone for the rest of the night."

There was no way she could deny those eyes, she never could. In all other aspects of her life, she had a solid resolve but when those eyes came into play all bets were off.

Placing her hand in his, she stood up from her chair and allowed him to lead her to the middle of the dance floor. Her right hand rested in his left while her left hand found its way to the back of his neck.

Falling into a comfortable silence, they swayed to the soft music with a safety net of at least theee inches between their bodies. He shook his head and chuckled lightly causing her eyebrows to knit together in confusion.

"We were together, what, almost five years and this is the first time we've ever danced in public." He explained once he saw her perplexed expression. She gave him a somber smile as his eyes searched her face. As if it had a mind of its own, her hand that was at the back of his neck moved to scratch the gray hair at the back of his head soothingly.

His eyes fell closed as they always did when she used to do that. Noticing the effect of her actions, she quickly stopped and placed her hand back on his shoulder blade.

Looking down between their bodies, the familiar image of their feet moving together made her heart ache.

* * *

_Sliding his key into the lock, Ed tried to be as quiet as possible as he unlocked the door to his girlfriend's apartment. Upon opening the door, he was surprised to find Olivia sitting on the couch in the living area, the only light emitting from the kitchen._

_"What are you doing up?", He asked, hanging his coat on the rack near the front door. "It's after midnight." When he turned around he finally had a chance to take in her appearance. She was sitting on the couch in leggings and an oversized hoodie, her hair in a messy bun with reading glasses perched on her nose, a defeated look marring her beautiful features._

_Sitting down on the coffee table in front of her, one of his hands pushed the hair out of the face while the other rested on his thigh. "How are we gonna do this?" She sighed, taking off her reading glasses and laying them on top of the scribbled on note pad. "I mean, we can do it financially but you're fifty and I'm forty-seven..."_

_"That doesn't matter." He responded sweetly, his warm eyes shining._

_"We would have to move..."_

_"That doesn't matter." He parroted._

_Frustration was starting to become evident in her voice. "We'd have to adjust our work schedules."_

_"That doesn't matter." He retorted._

_"How can you be so sure?", she huffed, throwing her hands up in annoyance. "Of any of it?"_

_Not being able to help the smile that was pulling at the corners of his mouth, Ed took her face between his hands. "Because it's you and me and as long as we're in this together nothing can stand in our way." He confided, his thumb rubbing her flushed cheek. She released a pent up breath, leaning her cheek into his warm palm. "You need to stop thinking so much."_

_Ed had to try and not laugh at the incredulous look Olivia was giving him. "Thinking is my job." She practically whined._

_He shook his head. "Not here, not while you're with me." He assured, standing and offering her his hand. Her brows knitted together in confusion as she looked from his outstretched hand to his handsome face. "Come here."_

_Placing her hand in his, she eyed him suspiciously as he pulled her up off the couch. "Dance with me", he requested, his bright eyes shining._

_"What? You're crazy", she laughed, trying to pull away from him but his strong grip held firm. He positioned one of her hands so it was on his shoulder and the other so it was resting in his palm._

_As he began to sway, Olivia looked down at their feet in an attempt to measure and gauge how they would move together. Ed brought his hand to her chin and tilted her head back up so she was looking at him. "Don't think", he whispered, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her body flush against his. "Just feel."_

_After several seconds of her eyes searching his face, she finally gave in and allowed her body to relax against his. Closing her eyes, she pressed her face against his as their bodies swayed together. She started to feel the anxiety melt away as she lost herself in the rhythm of their bodies. He moved his head so his lips could lay several kisses along her cheek before finally ending up by her ear._

_"Marry me", he breathed, his lips moving against the sensitive skin of her ear. A chill ran through her entire body and she couldn't tell if it was the content of his words or the raspy tone in which he spoke them._

_A brief panic washed over him as he felt her stiffen in his arms. Waiting a couple of painfully long seconds, Ed pulled back and dared to look at her face. Her eyes were brimming with tears and her lips were twitching into a watery smile as her fingertips found his chiseled cheek. "I don't want you to think you have to ask because..."_

_He cut her off by shaking her head. "I'm not", he assured, turning his head to the side and kissing the inside of her palm. "This is what I want, no matter what our circumstances. I want to wake up next you every morning and fall asleep with you every night. I want you as my partner in life and in love." he declared, his hands slipping under her sweatshirt to grip her sides, his thumbs rubbing against her stomach. "There's no one else I'd rather have by my side for this crazy adventure."_

_Tears were now streaming down her cheeks as a wide smile broke out across her face. Her arms found their way around his shoulders and she pulled him close as her head nodded zealously. Their lips met in a hot kiss and he couldn't help but smile against her mouth and lift her up so her legs wrapped around his waist. They fell onto the couch in a laughing tangle of limbs, any worries they might have had dissipating into night air._

* * *

Feeling his fingers lift her chin, she looked into those blue eyes and felt her knees go weak. "Don't think", he whispered, his thumb running along the indent below her lower lip. "Just feel." The familiar words made her heart ache and her eyes fell closed as his nose pressed against her cheek. She wrapped her arms completely around his shoulders, pressing her body against his.

Exhaling through his nose, Ed held her tightly against him as he hummed along with the music. Crowd around them seemed to disappear as they lost themselves in each other. His hands rubbed up and down her back in a soothing manner, his fingers halting as they reached a cut out in her dress. Her breath caught in her throat as his rough fingertips paid special attention to the bare skin of her back.

Feeling the roughness of his cheek against hers, she brought her hand up to rub the silver hair at the back of his head before landing on the nape of his neck and squeezing the reddening skin there.

Hearing a change in the music, Ed opened his eyes slowly open to see all the other couples on the dance floor were starting to disperse. He noticed a pair of eyes on them as everyone continued to scatter. His eyes locked with Dodds', half of him challenging him and the other half pleading for understanding. Dodds brought his drink up to his lips, his eyes swirling with jealousy and confusion as he surveyed the pair.

Moving his hands to the sides of Olivia's waist, he slowly pulled away as he watched her eyes blink open. "Thank you for reminding me", he rasped as his hand tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

Before she even had a chance to respond, Ed was gone.

* * *

Trying her best to hide her nerves, Olivia wrung her hands together in her lap as she looked over to Mike and tried to give him a convincing smile. He did his best to not give any indication that he saw what transpired between her and Ed but she knew that he had. She had always had a feeling that Dodds was interested in her by the way he acted around the precinct but he was always so professional that he never acted on it.

Giving her a small smile in return, he brushed her hair behind her shoulder and rubbed a thumb softly down the exposed skin of her neck. She saw his eyes flicker to something behind her and she turned, her eyes catching what he was looking at. Ed was a few tables over, his eyes that were trained on them flickered with somber jealousy before looking away.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm the swirl of emotions that raced through her. Her body was still vibrating with memory of his hands on her and she could still smell his lingering cologne on her skin. It had taken months for her to erase them from her memory before and she had a feeling it wouldn't be easier this time around.

The sound of everyone clapping tore her from her thoughts. She turned her attention to the special guest singer they has just introduced. The beginning notes of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" filled the air and she could practically feel her heart stop. She could feel his eyes on her again as she willed her eyes to stop welling and her chin to stop quivering.

It was not working, the emotions were too strong and they were crashing over her like waves. Quietly excusing herself, she got up from her chair and made a beeline for the door.

Seeing her abrupt exit, Ed stood and followed her path hastily. When he reached the lobby of the hotel, he looked around and found her leaning up against the far wall with her head hung and her arms crossed over her chest.

Walking towards her briskly, his gait slowed as he reached her. His fingers itched to reach out and touch her, comfort her but he shoved them in his pockets instead. She looked up at him and sniffled as her wet eyes met his. Her shoulders sagged as she gave him a defeated look. "That song was playing when..." She couldn't even finish her sentence. Her hand came up to cover her mouth as a sob escaped her throat, the sound causing Ed to close his eyes.

"I know", he whispered, hanging his head. Her sobs were not subsiding and he could not help himself any longer.

Stepping forward, Ed gathered her in his arms and pulled her body against his. One of his hands wrapped around her shoulders and the other stroked her hair as her body shook with silent sobs. Her arms circled around his body as she buried her face in his chest.

After a couple of minutes, her sobs turned to soft whimpers. She pulled away slowly, her hands wiping away the remaining tears on her cheeks. Taking her wrists in hands, he removed her hands from her face before replacing them with his. Her eyes watched his face intently, his brows furrowing as he concentrated on wiping the make up from under her puffy eyes.

She gently gripped his wrists as his hands moved to rest on the sides of her neck. "I hate this time of year." She sighed, her red eyes meeting his. If she was not mistaken, she could have swore she could see unshed tears in his. Ignoring the nagging feeling in the back of his head, he pressed his lips against her forehead.

"I second that, darling." He rasped against her skin, the old nickname making her heart ache.

Allowing her body to melt into his again, she buried her face in his neck while her hands gripped the muscles of his back. He couldn't help the chill that ran down his spine at the feeling of her hot breath puffing against his neck. Closing his eyes, he savored in the feeling of being whole again.

The sound of a clearing throat brought them back to reality. Pulling away from her ex-husband, Olivia saw Dodds standing next to them with her buzzing cell phone in his hand.

"Oh thank you, Mike." She croaked, taking the phone from him and scrolling through it. While she was looking down at the device, Mike took this opportunity to stare Ed down. "Looks like I got a case, Mercy Hospital." She sighed, locking her phone.

"I'll go get our coats, we can take my car down." He offered.

Olivia laid her hand on his forearm gently to stop him. "You didn't get the call, Sergeant. Stay, enjoy the rest of the evening." She said, giving him a small smile.

Suddenly, Ed's phone began to buzz in the breast pocket of his suit as he reached in and pulled it out. "Looks like I'm going with you." He explained, flashing her his screen before slipping his phone back into his pocket.

"Are you sure you're okay to go alone?" Mike asked, looking between the two of them before his eyes landed on his lieutenant. They all knew that when he said 'alone' he really meant 'with him'.

She gave him another smile, but Ed could see right through it. "I'll be fine, I promise."

Reaching his hand out to touch her arm, Ed urged her forward. "C'mon Liv, go grab your coat and I'll bring my car around." She nodded before heading to the coat check while Ed spared a cold glare back at Mike before heading towards the door.


	3. Chapter 3

The hospital elevator dinged open as Ed and Olivia spared a quick glance at each other before stepping out onto the floor. The car ride to the hospital was relatively silent but despite what had transpired between them, there was no awkwardness.

The on duty sergeant approached them and Ed took the intiative, stepping slightly in front of Olivia. "What do we got?" Ed asked, his tone professional yet stern.

Sighing, the sergeant rubbed the back of his neck. "Off duty patrol officer decided to take a drunken joy ride with his daughter in the back seat. Ran a red light and got t-boned."

Olivia sensed Ed stiffen in front of her. "And the girl?" The captain asked, his raspy voice thick with emotion.

The other man took a moment, looking down at his feet before speaking. "Three years old... killed on impact."

Closing her eyes at the new information, Olivia took a steadying breath and reached out to brace a comforting hand against his rigid back. The other man walked away leaving Ed and Olivia alone in the quiet hallway. "Ed..." She breathed.

Taking a deep breath, he swiped a hand over his face before clearing his throat. "Let's go." He said, cutting her off before heading down the corridor. Sighing, she watched him retreat before following him.

When she finally caught up with him, he was leaning his back against the wall while wringing his hands together. "You sure you're okay to go in there?" She asked as she came to stand in front of him.

"I'm fine", he said curtly. His eyes met hers, suddenly apologetic for his tone. "Are you?"

Shrugging, she shoved her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she looked to the side. "We got to do what we got to do."

"Let's get this over with." He exhaled, heading into the exam room with Olivia right behind him.

Walking into the room, Olivia hung back as Ed approached the sleeping man in the hospital bed. Ed flipped through the man's chart while she surveyed the man laying in the bed; his fair skin was littered with cuts and his light brown hair stained with blood.

He dropped the chart on the bedside tray, a loud bang to echo throughout the dark causing the battered officer to jolt awake. "Nice of you to join us, Hilmore." Ed bit sarcastically.

"Wh-what happened?" Officer Hilmore asked, his bleary eyes focusing on the two strangers in his room.

Ed let out a bitter laugh. "I should be asking you the same thing. You're in some serious hot water."

He started to look around, a panicked expression on his face, as he tried to straighten up in the hospital bed. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you talking a little joy ride you took with a handle of Jameson riding shot gun." Ed explained, the other man's face paling while his set in a hardline. "What the fuck were you thinking?" He growled.

Sensing escalation in his tone, Olivia pushed herself off the wall. "Captain...", she warned softly.

"It's okay, Lieutenant", he said as he turned to smile at her. The smile was anything but the warm one she was used to, this one was almost... menacing. "I just want to know what our friend, Hilmore, here was thinking when he deciding to drive drunk with his daughter in the car."

That piece of information made Hilmore attempt to sit up and get out of the hospital bed. "Where is she? Where's Ava?!"

Ed's forearm contacted with the man's chest, pushing him back down on the bed while leering over him. Olivia jumped into action and stalked over to the two men. "You killed her", Ed hissed through gritted teeth. "She's dead because of you!"

"Ed", She scolded lowly, tugging on his arm as Hilmore dissolved into tears under the captain's grasp.

While holding his forearm to his throat, Ed brought his other hand to grip the man's already injured face. "You son of a..."

"Ed!" Olivia repeated, shouting this time. Managing to put herself in between Ed and Hilmore, she pushed her weight against his chest to make him back away.

His heart pounded and his brain was going a mile a minute but the feeling of her hands on his body as she guided him to the door seemed to have a calming presence.

Leading Ed out the door, she looked back at the now disgraced officer that was falling apart in the hospital bed. She couldn't decide if she should feel anger or sympathy toward the man. With her lips set in a hard line and one last look, she met Ed out in the hallway.

Closing the door behind her, she looked at Ed who was leaning against the opposite side of the hallway, his hands braced behind him on the handrail. She leaned against the wall behind her and spared a glance in his direction. A familiar redness crept up the collar of his shirt while his veins bulged from his rolled up dress sleeves. His jaw was set in a hard line as he looked down at the floor. "He's not _him._ " She said, subconsciously mimicking his position.

He looked up at her, his eyes softened when they reached her face. "I know." He muttered.

Leaving her spot against the wall, she moved to stand in front of him. She began to lift her hands before she hesitated. "May I?" She asked softly.

He looked from her raised hands to her face, a certain tenderness washing over his features. He knew exactly what she was asking and he nodded, his eyes not leaving hers.

* * *

_Walking into their apartment, Ed couldn't help but smile as he spotted his wife with her back to him at the kitchen counter. He snuck up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, causing her to jump but instantly relaxing when she felt his lips on her neck._

_"I didn't even hear you come in." She breathed, craning her neck so she could plant a kiss on his lips._

_He hummed at the feeling of her mouth on his. "Something smells good", he muttered against her lips._

_Turning around, she gripped his biceps as his hands braced against the countertop behind her. "Well, that must be the take out because there was no way I was going to be allowed to cook today."_

_Chuckling, he let his eyes roam down her body. She was wearing a large sweater with leggings, her usual attire for her days off. He pushed back a stray piece of hair that came loose from her messy top knot as her hands moved to rest on his lower back. "Where is the diva?" He asked, glancing over before looking back at his wife._

_"Charlotte Benson Tucker, you better be behaving yourself!" She called before eyeing her husband. "She's been being way too quiet."_

_Raising his eyebrows in a challenge, Ed reasoned. "Sounds like she's being good to me."_

_"Yeah, highly unlikely with your rotten streak." She huffed._

_As if on cue, eleven month old Charlotte Tucker toddled into the kitchen with the help of her walker, slapping her hands excitedly against the tray. She was the spitting image of Olivia, right down to the dark brown waves that topped her head and her practically toothless smile. But her eyes, they were all Ed. Crystal blue and squinting when she smiled._

_"There's my Charlie girl", Ed cooed as he lifted her from her walker. She squealed happily, her limbs flailing as he brought her to his chest. He placed kisses all over her rosey face as her chubby hands found his cheeks._

_Olivia could not help the smile that spread across her face at watching her husband and her daughter together. Ed was such a natural with her that it was hard to believe that he went over fifty years without being a father. They completely owned her heart and soul._

_Placing one arm around Olivia, he pulled her into his side with his other arm bounced their little girl. "Charlie", Olivia sang, getting her daughters attention. "Can you tell Dada what you learned today." The baby let out a squeal of a laugh as she caught her mother's finger in her plump fist. "Who is this? Can you tell me who this is?" She asked, motioning to Ed._

_Charlie's tiny lips moved in the motion of forming words until they actually produced sound. "Da...da, dada!"_

_"That's right!", Olivia encouraged, leaning forward and kissing her rosey cheeks._

_"Oh my god, that's amazing!" Ed beamed, hugging his daughter to his chest as he looked at Olivia. "Why didn't you tell me? You text me if she has a messy diaper but not for this?"_

_She returned his smile ten fold. "I needed to see the look on your face." She explained, reaching up to plant a kiss on his lips._

_Nuzzling her face in her father's neck, Charlie brought her tiny fists up to rub against her eyes. "Oh, someone's tired." Ed mused, kissing her soft hair._

_"Come here, sweet girl." Olivia whispered, taking her daughter from her husband and bringing her to her chest. "Let's get you to bed." She placed a warm hand on his chest before heading into the nursery._

_Watching then disappear into the other room, he loosened his tie and rolled up the sleeves to his dress shirt as he walked over to pour himself a tumbler of bourbon. He walked back into the living room and flopped onto the couch, sighing as he brought the glass up to his mouth before closing his eyes._

_Ed found himself opening his eyes as he felt his bourbon being pulled out of his hand. When he did, he saw his wife bending over him. "Rough day?" She asked, placing the glass behind her on the coffee table before straddling his lap._

_"Yeah", he breathed, his hands finding their way to his thighs. She must have changed when he dozed off because instead of her leggings she was now wearing cotton shorts. "But I think it's about to get a little better." He hummed, his fingers tips slipping under the material of her shorts to rub against the smooth skin of his thighs. "Is Char..."_

_"Shhh...", she interrupted, her hands coming up to the sides of his neck. She gently rubbed both of his earlobes between her thumb and forefinger, something she always did to relieve his stress. "I want you to relax."_

_Letting out a pent up breath, he let his eyes fall closed. He could feel the stress dissolving from his body as her fingers worked against his skin. She noticed his shoulders sag and the lines between his eyebrows relax._

_His hands moved to grip her hips and pull them against his. She felt his arousal against her and chuckled, burying her face in his neck. "I'm trying to calm you down, Leiutenant, not rile you up."_

_"I can't help it", he groaned as her lips moved against his skin. "You feel too good in my lap."_

_Pulling back, she brushed her nose against his. "I know something that will feel even better." She whispered against his mouth before her lips covered his. His hand threaded through her hair as his tongue invaded her mouth. She rose onto her knees as her hands found his belt buckle. Lifting his hips, he let her push his slacks down while he helped her maneuver out of her shorts._

_Her lips reconnected with his as she grabbed both sides of her dress shirt and yanked, causing the material to split and several small buttons to scatter across the floor. "Fuck", he growled as he pulled back, the fiery look in her eyes only making him want her more._

_Gripping her hips, he lifted her up before allowing her to sink down on him. She held onto the back of his neck as her mouth hovered over his, her breath mingling with his as she felt him fill her. His eyes met hers, all the emotions she felt pouring into him. He craned his head up and captured her lips in a quick kiss._ _Her face pressed against his as his arms wrapped completely around her waist, holding her to him._

_Moving quickly, he stood from the couch with her body still wrapped around his before laying her down on the couch and covering her body with his. His fingers tangled in her hair, allowing his large palms to cradle the back of her head. Her hands anchored to the muscles of his back as his nose brushed against hers again. "My beautiful girl", he breathed, his hot breath searing her wet lips. "This is what I think about all day, being here with you. Like this."_

_"God, Ed", she moaned, her hand coming up to thread through her hair as she looked down between their bodies. That only spurred him on, he pressed his lips against her forehead as his body increased it's rhythm. She could feel the heat pooling in her belly as he moved over her, inside of her. She ran her hand down his neck to his chest, chasing the redness that spread across his pale skin._

_Looking down between their bodies, he growled at the sight of her breasts up against his chest before he pressed his face against hers. His hand found the back of her knee and hitched it up high over his hip, allowing him to reach deeper inside of her. Her_ mouth _dropped open in a silent moan as she grippped his broad shoulders._

_"Relax, Liv", he breathed against her rosey cheek as he thrust as against her. "Take all of me."_ _She complied, wrapping her other leg around his waist and opening herself up to him._

_Moving her head to the side, she captured his lips with hers and moaned into his mouth as continued to move against her._

* * *

Taking Ed's earlobes between her fingers, Olivia massaged them gently. His eyes fell closed, the familiar calming sensation washing over him. She kept her eyes on his face, watching as the lines between his eyebrows disappeared and the tension around his mouth dissipated.

As if they had a mind of their own, his hands reached out to rest of the curve of her hips. Her breath caught in her throat at the contact but she found herself stepping forward so their bodies were practically touching.

His head fell forward until his forehead connected with her temple. A chill ran down her body as she felt his warm breath against the hollow of her throat.

Olivia's hands stopped their ministrations before moving to rest on the side of his neck, her brain seemingly not able to function due to his proximity. He shifted so his forehead was against hers, their noses brushing each other.

Her eyes fluttered open, focusing on his lips before moving to meet his blue eyes. Her thumbs rubbed against his cheek as their breath mingled between them.

The sound of her phone ringing in her pocket caused to her take a step back from him, taking a moment to clear the haze that had washed over them.

Taking her phone out of your pocket, she glanced one more look at him before answering it. "Hey, Melinda." She greeted, turning her back to him. He scratched the back of his neck as he looked down the corridor, suddenly embarrassed by their impromptu PDA.

Hanging up her phone, she turned back to him. "I have to head down to the M.E.'s office." She explained, motioning down the hallway.

"Okay, I can drive you..." He offered, taking a step towards her.

She waved a hand in dismissal. "No, that's alright. I can take a cab." She explained, stepping forward and cautiously placing her hand on his chest. "Take care of yourself, Tuck."

He lifted his hand up to cover hers but before he could she removed it and started down the hallway.

* * *

_Later that night..._

Flopping back on the couch, Olivia lifted her slippered feet onto the coffee table as she sipped the red wine in her hand. She let her head fall against the back of the couch as the soothing liquid slid down her throat.

She had spent the last two years wondering what it would be like when she saw Ed again but she never would have expected this. When she was with him it could feel like no time has passed and the next moment it could feel like a lifetime was between them.

A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts. Placing the wine glass down on the coffee table and looked down at her current attire. Nothing like answering the door wearing baggy plaid pajama pants and a ratty NYPD shirt.

Looking through the peephole, she grabbed the door knob and slowly opened her door. What she saw on the other side made her heart ache.

Ed. In her apartment hallway, his tie loose and his suit jacket rumpled. He was propping himself up against the door jam with one outstretched arm, the same hand clutching an almost-empty fifth of bourbon.

"Ed... what are you doing here?" She asked, crossing her arms over as she eyed the liquor bottle. "Are you okay?"

He looked up, his bloodshot eyes meeting hers as tears threatened to spill out. "I'm so sorry, Liv...", he rasped, running his other hand over his face. She looked down at her shuffling feet, finding it hard to see him like this... again. Emotions were taking over him and he had to control his quivering chin. "I'm sorry... I killed our... daughter."

He could barely get the words but as soon as he did he completely dissolved into a mess of tears.


End file.
